Main Street Wauchula

Main Street Wauchula is a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservations Main Street Center. In 1979, a group of visionaries from the National Trust realized that the only way our small-town architecture would be preserved is if small-town businesses were able to be successful enough to take care of their buildings. Thus, Main Street was born.

Main Street focuses on a Four-Point Approach to revitalization: Organization, Design, Promotion, and Economic Restructuring. This approach combines historic preservation with economic development to restore prosperity and vitality to downtowns and neighborhood business districts.

Design

involves enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by capitalizing on its best assets - such as historic buildings and pedestrian-oriented streets. An inviting atmosphere, created through attractive window displays, parking areas, building improvements, street furniture, signs, sidewalks, street lights, and landscaping, conveys a positive visual message about the commercial district and what it has to offer. Design activities also include instilling good maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating historic buildings, encouraging appropriate new construction, developing sensitive design management systems, and long-term planning.

Organization

Involves getting everyone working toward the same goal and assembling the appropriate human and financial resources to implement a Main Street revitalization program. A governing board and standing committees make up the fundamental organizational structure of the volunteer-driven program. Volunteers are coordinated and supported by a paid program director as well. This structure not only divides the workload and clearly delineates responsibilities, but also builds consensus and cooperation among the various stakeholders.

Promotion

Sells a positive image of the commercial district and encourages consumers and investors to live, work, shop, play and invest in the Main Street district. By marketing a district's unique characteristics to residents, investors, business owners, and visitors, an effective promotional strategy forges a positive image through advertising, retail promotional activity, special events, and marketing campaigns carried out by local volunteers. These activities improve consumer and investor confidence in the district and encourage commercial activity and investment in the area.

Economic Restructuring

Strengthens a community's existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base. The Main Street program helps sharpen the competitiveness of existing business owners and recruits compatible new businesses and new economic uses to build a commercial district that responds to today's consumers' needs. Converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive property also helps boost the profitability of the district.

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